40 Days and 40 Nights

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

Following memorable roles in the military action-adventures Pearl Harbor (2001) and Black Hawk Down (2001), young actor Josh Hartnett is propelled to romantic leading man status with this semi-autobiographical comedy from screenwriter Rob Perez. Hartnett stars as Matt Sullivan, a young man smarting over the bitter breakup of his most recent relationship. With Lent approaching, Matt decides to observe the 40-day tradition by abstaining from all sexual contact, including self-gratification. Once his odyssey of discipline has begun, he meets the girl of his dreams, while his ex begins campaigning to get him back. Co-starring Shannyn Sossamon, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Vinessa Shaw, 40 Days and 40 Nights inspired another round of controversy between distributor Miramax and the Catholic League, which accused the film of being a "vulgar parody" of Lent. The League previously protested the company's releases of Priest (1994) and Dogma (1999). ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (Theatre Wide Screen)
• Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
• Screen: Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV
• Subtitle: Spanish
• Features:
  • cc
  • Teaser trailer
  • Feature commentary with director Michael Lehmann, producer Michael London and screenwriter Robert Perez
  • French language track
  • Spanish subtitles
  • Dolby Digital 5.1
  • Widescreen (1.85:1)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Director:

  Michael Lehmann

• Producer:

  Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Michael London

• Screenwriter:

  Robert Perez

• Cinematographer:

  Elliot Davis

• Musical Direction/Supervision:

  Bonnie Greenberg

• Composer (Music Score):

  Rolfe Kent

• Editor:

  Nicholas C. Smith

• Production Designer:

  Sharon Seymour

• Art Director:

  Yvonne J. Hurst, Walter Gasparovic

• Co-producer:

  Stuart M. Besser

• Executive Producer:

  Liza Chasin, Debra Hayward

• Set Designer:

  Lesley Beale, Don Halton

• Set Decorator:

  Lesley Beale

• Costume Designer:

  Jill M. Ohanneson

• Set Decorator:

  Barbara Munch

• Sound/Sound Designer:

  Nelson Stoll, David Husby

• Makeup:

  L. Taylor Roberts

• First Assistant Director:

  Nancy Noblett, Walter Gasparovic

• Supervisor/Manager:

  Michelle Baines

• Camera Operator:

  Chris McMullin

• Stunts:

  Duane Dickinson, Heath Stevenson

• Sound Mixer:

  David Husby

• Casting:

  Joseph Middleton

• Production Manager:

  Barbara Kelly

• Second Assistant Camera:

  Randy Morton

• Supervising Sound Editor:

  Jerry Ross

• Executive in Charge of Productio:

  Michelle Wright

• Script Supervisor:

  Lara P. Fox

• Executive Music Producer:

  Kathy Nelson

• Stunts Coordinator:

  David Jacox

• Supervising Sound Editor:

  Robert Shoup

• Second Assistant Editor:

  Megan B. Agosto

• Draftsman:

  Anneke Van Oort

• Executive Music Producer:

  Randy Spendlove

• Compositor:

  Jonathan Craig

• Key Grip:

  Richard Mall

• Grip:

  John Taylor

• Key Grip:

  Tony Whiteside

• Best Boy Grip:

  James J. Williams

• Second Assistant Director:

  Penny Charter

• Assistant Art Director:

  Kristen Johnson

• Leadman:

  Diana Nachlik

• Hair Styles:

  Katherine Gordon

• First Assistant Camera:

  David Galbraith

• Boom Operator:

  Rick Bold

• Production Coordinator:

  Tony Davis

• Post Production Supervisor:

  Ruth Hasty

• First Assistant Editor:

  Caroline Hardon

• Second Assistant Editor:

  Richard Long

• Gaffer:

  Fred Boyd

• Best Boy Electric:

  Chuck Reid

• Dolly Grip:

  Rick Stadder

• Grip:

  Gary A. Williams, Jay Rupert

• Properties Master:

  Bryan Korenberg

• Buyer:

  Gail Irvine

• Special Effects Coordinator:

  Walter Shemly

• Production Coordinator:

  Erica Maletz

• First Assistant Camera:

  Patrick McArdle

• Gaffer:

  Dennis Jones

• Art Department Coordinator:

  John Burke

• Third Assistant Director:

  Christina Ferguson

• Negative Cutter:

  Vivian Hengsteler

• Construction Foreman:

  Craig Brisker

• Set Medic/First Aid:

  Emily Coutts, Debra Derkach

• Runner:

  Brad Greer

• Generator Operator:

  Steve Holland

• Set Medic/First Aid:

  Shelly Kennedy

• Cable Person:

  Michael Meiser

• Set Production Assistant:

  Susie Milka

• Digital Effects:

  Stargate Digital

• Assistant Avid Editor:

  Roy Waldspurger

• Assistant Location Manager:

  Jennifer Lung

• First Assistant Editor:

  Nicole Smith

• Electrician:

  Lenny Fisher, Robert Harvey, Shawn McLaughlin, Neil Wildman

• Compositor:

  Rob Konuch, Val Pfahning

• Scenic Carpenter:

  Jeremy Lew, Mark Spence

REVIEW:

• "Blasphemous" doesn't begin to describe the marginally church-themed 40 Days and 40 Nights, though its crimes against Catholicism have little to do with that label. In fact, this soulless Josh Hartnett vehicle earns contempt by being so devoid of intellect, worthwhile commentary or even playfully bad taste, it actually validates the complaints of the most reactionary religious types. The crucial mission of this kind of film is to document the simultaneously shallow trappings and sublime pleasures of physical gratification, letting one inform the other to achieve both subtle and bawdy humor. Michael Lehmann's film never finds this admittedly delicate touch, but the small number of times it even comes close is what's truly dispiriting. Its default condition is to poop on all of its characters, even the ones it considers romantic heroes, while moving from one depressingly puerile set piece to the next in halting, anti-climactic fashion. Serving as a kind of Greek chorus for this bottom feeding is no less than a dozen snarky actors most frequently employed as television commercial pitchmen, whose grating attempts to hoard the spotlight should -- but don't -- cancel each other out. Rarely, also, has a movie so awkwardly crammed its setting into each shot; if Hartnett and Shannyn Sossamon need to get into an argument, odds are the Golden Gate Bridge will be looming somewhere in the background. Catholics may be offended that this film thinks so little of their hallowed tradition of self-denial, but how little it respects the good name of sex should shock just about everyone else. ~ Derek Armstrong, Rovi